Texas Tech Red-Black Game Closes Spring Practice
April 15, 2000 | Football
April 15, 2000
LUBBOCK, Texas - The Mike Leach version of Texas Tech football made its debut under the lights of Jones Stadium in the Red-Black game Saturday night.
As expected, the new-look Red Raider offense featured a heavy emphasis on the aerial attack. Red team quarterback Kliff Kingsbury completed 24 of 36 passes for 321 yards and three touchdowns, while leading his squad to a win, 35-16.
On the other side of the ball, Black team quarterbacks B.J. Symons and Shae McCutchen combined for 16 completions, including one touchdown from McCutchen to Seth Freo, for 145 yards.
Derek Dorris led a crew of 20 Red Raiders who caught at least one pass. Dorris hauled in nine balls for 173 yards and three touchdowns. One of Dorris' touchdowns came on a "Name The Play" promotion during the second quarter. Marvin Sanders, of Ransom Canyon, designed the play which Kingsbury and Dorris made work for an 80-yard touchdown hookup.
Tim Baker followed Dorris in both the catches and yards categories, grabbing six passes for 67 yards.
James Wegener, who transferred from San Francisco Community College to practice with Tech during spring drills, represented Leach's first recruiting class. Wegener made two receptions for 22 yards and ran for 14 yards on a reverse play.
The Red-Black included a spring practice that Leach said brought the Raiders close to where he wants the team to be for the upcoming season.
"We wanted to get in all the aspects of our game and we did a good job on the whole package," Leach said. "The game went well. I think we came a long way. So, we're looking forward to the season."
Highlighting the action, the Red team's last series of the first half went 70 yards on 9 plays for a touchdown. The drive included a Shaud Williams 13-yard run, a 9-yard pass to tight end Cole Roberts, a 14 yard reverse run by Wegener and a 15-yard pass from Kingsbury to Darrell Jones. Dorris capped the march with his second touchdown catch on a one-yard fade pattern.
"Everythin is happening the way its drawn up," Kingsbury said after the game about the team's new offensive system. "That's what is is designed to do is score. It got points on the board."